04/11/2022
The Dr. Wayne Dyer quote, "When I change the way I look at things, the things I look at change," was my journal entry 4 years ago today. Little did I know what would happen that day. On my commute to work 4 years ago, I got in a major car accident. The car went off-road, landing upside down in the median trench. I was hanging upside down from the seatbelt as I came to. Quickly assessing the situation, I knew blood was coming from my forehead, so I applied pressure with my hand, using the steering wheel to support my arm. I could feel my arms and legs (hanging out in the backseat). I could hear my phone in the background still playing the audiobook by . I tried to undo my seatbelt, but it was locked, so I "hung out" and waited for help and was eventually taken to the hospital.
Miraculously, no other people or cars were involved (my angel army worked overtime that day). That day taught me valuable lessons, some of which I am currently still processing.
I could preach to you about the lessons, but the truth is, I haven't fully embraced or applied them to life. One lesson I am confident in sharing is free will. That day, life gave me the gift of a second chance. After the stitches and soreness healed, I was left looking no different than the day before the accident. Mentally, however, I was stuck in the same mindset.
Indeed, a significant event such as an accident would change things? Traumatic events can be a catalyst or a collapse. I collapsed back into the familiarity of depression and anxiety. I know what to expect; I don't rock any boats; I can be resilient in low-grade discomforts.
Four years later, I'm not as comfortable in those same discomforts. If I survived being in a car tumbling down a median, I could undoubtedly survive showing up to serve and share my gifts with myself and others. It goes back to Dyer's quote on change; things change when we change our thoughts, actions, beliefs, and stories.
